Suddenly, in the last ten years or so, the phrase, ‘Oh, it’s in the cloud,” has become far more common. Today, we don’t think much of this new technology and are, in fact, moving towards a complete transition. The use of USBs and other storage devices is slowly falling out of favor for simply storing our files in a place that is always accessible, no matter where we are in the world. As our dependency on the cloud continues, we begin to demand faster, more storage, more security and all the rest. Here at TNS, we have been witness to the rapid ascension of cloud computing as a sought after service. Let’s take a look at how this technology has changed business over the years.
So what exactly is cloud computing?
When filtered down to its very basics, cloud computing refers to computing services that happen over the internet without the use of a lot of infrastructures. This means computing services that include servers, storage, databases, networking software analytics, and intelligence.
Where did the term come from?
There is no secret that cloud computing is a buzzword in today’s day and age. The precise origin of the name, who coined it, and how it was invented carries a fair share of controversy. Some people say the term began around 2006 when technological behemoths like Google and Amazon began using the term to describe the new paradigm of how people were accessing software. Some people say the term goes back all the way to 1996 where a few computer executives in the Compaq Computer headquarters were plotting the future of the internet and used the word cloud computing.
Regardless of its exact origins, the term has now caught fire and is drawing in new startups and companies. The technology increases productivity and has promoted a lot of remote work possibilities for people in the IT industry. It offers the ability for more computer memory, processing power, and apps to be hosted in remote data centers.
Benefits of Cloud Computing for Your Business
There are several noted benefits of using cloud computing with your business or business’s software operations. The main benefits include:
It smoothes out operations. As companies grow, change, shift, etc, cloud technology allows these businesses to more easily adapt and scale their computing solutions. The days of having to constantly invest, rearrange, and scale hardware as the company size modulates, are over. When running your operations or most of your operations through cloud computing, changes become easier and less costly in terms of hardware.
More accessibility for customer service. Cloud computing today is responsible for the improvement and accessibility of better customer support. Businesses and companies are able to facilitate a customer reaching them without maintaining an employee on the front desk from 8 to 5. This gives businesses more flexibility and options when the front desk gets busy or people are out of town, etc depending on the size of your business.
Increase flexibility for your employees. It’s not just customers that benefit from the advancements in cloud computing. Employees have also benefited, as many are able to work from home, travel easier, maintain communications, even when away from the office. This has offered companies the possibility of offering employees working from home options, remote workers, facilitating remote teams, hiring a remote person on a project-by-project basis or a permanent basis. With this added flexibility, companies can make better decisions as to what is convenient and cost-effective for them.
Cuts down on infrastructure. Part of the big deal with cloud computing is the fact that it does away with bulky infrastructure that would often become a tangled mess or cause connectivity problems. Along the same vein, saving on infrastructure makes it more cost-effective to start a business, which encourages startups, competition, and a more vibrant and creative market.
Safety in data storage. The safe storage of information—both company and customer information— is a top priority for any business. Cloud computing offers the ability to securely store data with high-grade security features and encryption. Big players like Toyota and Microsoft, who use cloud computing, have made sure that safety is guaranteed, as security breaches and losses of information are not something any company wants to deal with. Over the last couple of years, cloud computing has really upped its game when it comes to this particular area.
A jumpstart in productivity. Another aspect of cloud computing that has made it a sought after form of computing solutions for many companies, is the fact that it has shown to improve productivity. When it comes to managing and operating remote teams or employees that work together but are not in the same room, this has facilitated communication and the access to information and company software. At the same time, even if your employees are working together in the same office building, the efficiency, effectiveness, and security of the systems means that there are fewer problems and work can flow smoothly.
Get Effective Cloud Computing With a System You Trust
Entrusting your company information and customer information to a cloud computing service is not a decision to take lightly. You want to ensure that the systems are properly installed and implemented from the get-go. Technology Networks & Systems in El Paso are your technology experts ready to install or help you install the right computing solutions for your business. Call us today.